Monthly Archives: May 2014

Norwegian brings the first Boeing 787 to Orlando

Norwegian Air Shuttle (Norwegian Long Haul) (Norwegian.com) (Oslo) landed the first scheduled Boeing 787 Dreamliner service at Orlando International Airport (MCO) on Thursday night (May 29). The maiden flight from Oslo, Norway to Orlando was the first Boeing 787 to land at MCO. The full flight was greeted with a traditional water salute by the airport rescue fire fighters (ARFF).

Norwegian Air will offer nonstop service between Orlando and Oslo two-days-a-week, Thursdays and Saturdays, with connections to over 94 locations in Europe and Thailand.

Norwegian:

Allegiant starts seasonal service between Cincinnati and Myrtle Beach

Allegiant Air (Las Vegas) yesterday (May 31) started nonstop, seasonal jet service from Cincinnati-Northern Kentucky International Airport to Myrtle Beach. The new flights will operate two times a week until August 11, 2014, flying nonstop from Cincinnati-Northern Kentucky International Airport (CVG) to Myrtle Beach International Airport (MYR). Myrtle Beach becomes the fourth destination available to Allegiant travelers flying out of CVG, including Sanford, Punta Gorda and St. Petersburg/Clearwater.

In other news, Allegiant Travel Company also announced it has borrowed $40.0 million under a loan agreement with CIT, secured by six Boeing 757-200 aircraft (above) and twelve RB211 engines. The notes payable issued under the loan agreement, bear interest at a floating rate based on London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR). The term of the loan is 48 months and the proceeds are to be used for general corporate purposes.

Copyright Photo: James Helbock/AirlinersGallery.com. Allegiant’s Boeing 757-204 N906NV (msn 27236) approaches the runway at Las Vegas.

Allegiant Air:

United to start nonstop Denver-Panama City, Panama flights on December 3

United Airlines (Chicago) will start a new international route from its Denver hub to Panama City, Panama on December 3. The new route will be operated daily with Boeing 737-700s per Airline Route.

Copyright Photo: Ton Jochems/AirlinersGallery.com. Boeing 737-724 N39728 (msn 28944) approaches the runway at Los Angeles International Airport.

United Airlines (current):

The Bombardier CSeries FTV1 aircraft suffers an engine failure

Bombardier (Montreal) late on May 29 suffered another setback with its delayed CSeries airliner. The test aircraft suffered an engine failure while it was on the ground.

Bombardier issued this short statement:

Bombardier confirmed that late on May 29 there was an engine-related incident during stationary ground maintenance testing involving the CSeries FTV1 aircraft at its facility in Mirabel, Québec.

Bombardier is investigating the incident with the support of Pratt & Whitney and the appropriate authorities. Safety is the priority, and the CSeries aircraft flight test program will resume once the investigation is completed.

Read the full story from the Toronto Star: CLICK HERE

Copyright Photo: Gilbert Hechema/AirlinersGallery.com. Bombardier CS100 (BD-500-1A10) C-FBCS (msn 50001) is pictured on its first flight at Montreal (Mirabel).

Boeing and JTA finalize the order for 12 Boeing 737-800s

Boeing (Chicago and Seattle) and JTA-Japan Transocean Air (Naha, Okinawa, Japan) have finalized an order for 12 Next-Generation 737-800 airplanes. The arrival of the new 737-800s in 2016 will mark the start of the airline’s fleet renewal program.

The order, first announced as a commitment on March 27, is valued at $1.1 billion at list prices. As part of the agreement, JTA will also have the flexibility to switch to the 737 MAX family of airplanes.

Based in Okinawa, Japan’s southernmost major island chain, Japan Airlines Group member JTA currently operates a fleet of 737-400 airplanes on domestic routes linking Okinawa with major Japanese cities as well as other Okinawa islands.

The airplanes will be fitted with Boeing’s latest Performance Improvement Package (PIP), delivering an additional 2 percent improvement in fuel efficiency for what is already the most fuel efficient single-aisle airplane in the market. The airplanes will also feature the popular passenger-inspired Boeing Sky Interior, with modern sculpted sidewalls and window reveals, LED lighting that enhances the sense of spaciousness and larger pivoting overhead stowage bins.

Top Copyright Photo: KSK/AirlinersGallery.com. JTA currently operates 13 aging Boeing 737-400s including the well-known blue (above) (male) and pink (female) whale shark designs (Jimbei Jet and Sakura Jimbei). Boeing 737-4Q3 JA8939 (msn 29486) completes its over water approach to Ishigaki, Japan.

Bottom Image: Boeing.

JTA:

PEOPLExpress to start operations on June 30, announces its other new routes

PEOPLExpress (2nd) (Vision Airlines dba) (Newport News/Williamsburg) today announced it will commence scheduled passenger operations on June 30 to Boston, Newark and Pittsburgh. Vision Airlines will be operating three Boeing 737-400s under the revived PEOPLExpress brand. The new airline also announced further routes that will be introduced this summer after the initial routes. The company issued this statement:

PEOPLExpress™, the iconic brand that made air travel affordable and accessible, returns to the skies June 30 with low-fare service from Newport News/Williamsburg International Airport to three cities: Boston, Newark, and Pittsburgh.

PEOPLExpress today announced its inaugural schedule at a kick-off event today with Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe, local dignitaries, airport officials and new employees. The schedule includes four additional destinations: West Palm Beach, Florida (starting July 15), Atlanta (August 1), and St. Petersburg/Clearwater, Florida, and New Orleans (August 28).

Vision Airlines, dba PEOPLExpress, will fly Boeing 737-400 aircraft operated by Vision Airlines bearing the logo of the popular 1980s carrier of the same name but with a fresh, green livery.

“From the very beginning, PEOPLExpress was designed to provide a fun, creative and innovative approach to air travel to dispel the myth that low air fares have to mean low service or an impersonal experience,” said Jeff Erickson, a long-time airline executive, on behalf of the carrier. “PEOPLExpress is restoring the concepts of respect, value and excitement to the air travel experience.”

The PEOPLExpress management team identified opportunities in underserved markets from Newport News while developing a service model built on a great experience at a great price.

“Air travel had become an unpleasant, difficult and costly experience for many travelers – and in response to that need the new PEOPLExpress was born with a name that left an indelible mark on aviation history,” Erickson said.

Images and map: PEOPLExpress.

Route Map:

Aegean Airlines reports a first quarter net loss of $11.4 million

Aegean Airlines (Athens) reported a first quarter net loss of $11.4 million. The company issued this statement:

Aegean reports first quarter 2014 results with consolidated revenue of €133.9 million, and after-tax losses during the seasonally weakest quarter of the year of €8.4 million ($11.4 million). On a pro-forma basis, i.e. assuming consolidation of Olympic Air in the respective period last year, losses narrowed compared to after-tax losses of €13.2 million in the first quarter of 2013 while revenue showed a 1% rise.

It is noted that results are not comparable with reported parent results of 2013 given the fact that the latter set of results did not include Olympic Air (Athens) as the acquisition was completed in October 2013.

Αegean Airlines and Olympic Air carried 1.6 million passengers in the first quarter of 2014, 12% more versus the previous year. Domestic network passengers increased by 17% to 930 thousand while international network passengers reached 700,000, 6% higher versus last year. Load factor improved by 1.8 percentage point to 73%.

Operating cash flow improved significantly resulting to an increase in the company’s cash and cash equivalents to €274 million from €239 million in December 2013.

Mr. Dimitris Gerogiannis, Managing Director, commented:

“Following the acquisition of Olympic Air, the initial benefits from network synergies are already evident and along with our new pricing policy are translated to improved load factors and increased connecting traffic during this seasonally weakest quarter for the year.

Pre-bookings for the summer season as well as our traffic results for April 2014 confirm the positive trend. Our investment in expanding our network and capacity with the addition of 5 airbus aircraft and 17 new international destinations as of May/June, takes place within a rising demand environment. On the other hand, available capacity offered is substantially increased by the majority of operators active to the Greek market.

As far as Olympic Air integration is concerned, implementation is progressing in line with targets, with the full synergy and scale economies benefits expected to mature with the next 12 months. At the same time, innovation and services that add value to our customers remain a top priority.”

Copyright Photo: Antony J. Best/AirlinersGallery.com. Airbus A320-232 SX-DVV (msn 3773) of Aegean Airlines taxies at London (Heathrow) while promoting the new Acropolis museum.

Aegean Airlines:

Olympic Air (3rd):

Icelandair is coming to Birmingham, England on February 5

Icelandair (Keflavik) has announced scheduled flights to Birmingham, England beginning on February 5, 2015. Birmingham is Icelandair’s fifth destination in Great Britain, and the 25th in Europe.

Flights to Birmingham Airport (BHX) will depart on Mondays and Thursdays from Keflavik International Airport (KEF) at 7:50 am (0750), with arrival in Birmingham at 10:25 am (1025). Return service departs Birmingham at 12:25 pm (1225), with an arrival at Keflavik at 3:10 pm (1510).

Icelandair currently offers service to Iceland from Boston, New York (JFK), Washington (Dulles), Seattle/Tacoma, Denver and Toronto (Pearson), with seasonal service from Newark, Minneapolis-St. Paul, Sanford (near Orlando), Edmonton, Vancouver, Halifax and Anchorage. Connections through Icelandair’s hub at Keflavik International Airport are available to more than 20 destinations in Scandinavia, the U.K. and Continental Europe. Only Icelandair allows passengers to stopover in Iceland for up to seven days at no additional airfare.

Icelandair:

TAM Airlines doubles the number of overnight flights from New York to Sao Paulo

TAM Airlines (TAM Linhas Aereas) (Sao Paulo), part of LATAM Airlines Group, has just introduced seven weekly night frequencies between New York and São Paulo (Guarulhos). The new flight will double TAM’s overnight flights to Sao Paulo in August and replace the existing daytime flights JJ 8082 and JJ 8083.

The new flight JJ 8103 (New York – São Paulo/Guarulhos) will depart New York (JFK) at 10:00 p.m. (2200) and land in São Paulo at 8:50 a.m. (0850) with the return flight JJ 8102 departing São Paulo (Guarulhos) daily at 9:50 p.m.(2150) and arriving in New York (JFK) at 6:55 a.m. (0655).

The increase in these night services reflects customers’ preference for traveling overnight and arriving at their destinations in the early hours of the following day, either to participate in business meetings or to visit the city’s tourist attractions.

The new service will be operated by Boeing 767-300 aircraft (from LAN Airlines), whose interiors have been completely refurbished providing full-flat seats that recline 180o, as well as increased leg room in Business Class. Passengers in Business and Economy will also have access to individual on-board entertainment services in both cabins, with around 100 movies from diverse genres and TV series, and can listen to music and browse the duty free product catalog. Children can enjoy the exclusive entertainment package that consists of cartoons, movies and games.

The other seven night frequencies offered by TAM are currently operated by Boeing 777-300 aircraft under flight numbers JJ 8080 and JJ 8081. In line with the company’s objective of continuously improving its products, the Boeing 777-300 fleet will be refurbished starting in September (TAM is removing the first class section from the 777-300) and will be back in operation in March 2015 . During this period, the flights will be operated by TAM’s Airbus A330 aircraft.

Copyright Photo: Marcelo F. De Biasi/AirlinersGallery.com. Boeing 767-33A ER PT-MSU (msn 27376) completes its final approach back to the Sao Paulo (Guarulhos) base.

TAM:

Gol to enter the Sao Paulo (Viracopos) – Rio de Janeiro (Santos Dumont) market

Gol Transportes Aereos (Sao Paulo) is entering the competitive Sao Paulo (Viracopos) (Viracopos is the home of Azul) – Rio de Janeiro (Santo Dumont) market on July 18 per Airline Route.

Copyright Photo: Christian Volpati/AirlinersGallery.com. Boeing 737-8EH PR-GGB (msn 35064) prepares to takeoff from the downtown Santos Dumont Airport in Rio de Janeiro.

Gol:

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